Memorable Milford

There were many in Connecticut that viewed the Confederacy as a potential customer for its firearms industry.

Confederate monuments were not erected after the Civil War when funds were limited during the reconstruction era. These coincided with enactment of Jim Crow laws, the rise of the Klan and during the civil rights movement after WWII. the peak years of 1911 and 1963 roughly coincide with 50 and 100 years after the Civil War. Anniversary celebrations tend to only be observed on the actual date, not building up near the milestone year. In 1928 the 20 dollar bill replaced Grover Cleveland who had been on it for only 14 years with Andrew Jackson. These president's views on financial matters were quite different, Cleveland supported the gold standard while Jackson had opposed banks. In the racial context of the mid 1920's when the Ku Klux Klan freely marched in Washington and at Madison Square Garden, Jackson supported slavery, forced American Indians onto reservations and. After school desegregation in 1954, many schools were named after Confederate leaders. The Confederate flag was used as a stage backdrop for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd who attended General Robert E. Lee High School and had named themselves after its basketball coach. Anther band member had attended Klansman Nathan Bedford Forest High School established in 1928 whose teams were called the Rebels. Just as their teacher influenced the band, the school's names may have influenced the members and ultimaely their fans outlook on the Civil War.

The Supreme Court ruled on Flag Day in 1943 that Jehovah Witnesses do not have to stand for the Pledge of Alligance.

To meet demand, many statues were mass-produced in foundries in the north such as Bridgeport Connecticut. Momument makers producing generic scupltures to meet demand for various wars including the Civil War selling hundreds of cast metal monuments as a less expensive alternative ($5000) to carved marble. Milford's WWI monument made by Joseph Pollia who also created the monument of Stonewall Jackson astride his horse in Virginia's Manassas Park The lost cause redefining the Civil War came about when Robert E. Lee died as a way to save face. Wearing Confederate uniforms or even just the buttons in Virginia was illegal during the Reconstruction era. Confederate battle flags that had been used during the war were only used after the Civil War for veteran reunions, their popularity as a symbol didn't come until about 75 years after the war.